High-humidity refrigerator



jan. 27, 1953 w. L. MORRISON 2,626,509

HIGH-HUMIDITY REFRIGERATOR Filed Maron s, 195o vf... Y@

IN VEN TOR.

MZZWI'IJON,

BY HZ'Z'O js M Patented Jan. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in refrigerators and has for oneobject to maintain a relatively moist atmosphere in the refrigerationarea.

Another object of the invention is to provide a suitable apparatus andsystem for the disposal of water of condensation from the cold element.

Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specificationand claim.

My invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in theaccompanying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a vertical diagrammaticsection through a refrigerator box showing the relationship of theparts;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic perspective showing the container into whichwater of condensation discharges.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specificationand drawings.

2 is the food storage or refrigeration chamber of a refrigerator box 20.This box is provided with insulation 2|. an outer housing 22, and innercold Walls 23. The section is perpendicular to the box so the box doesnot appear in the drawing.

I is a motor which drives a compressor 5 which discharges compressedrefrigerant through the duct 24 into the coils 4 in the vaporizerchamber I. The duct 25 leads from the coil 4 to the condenser 6. Theduct 26 leads from 'the condenser 6 to the receiver 9, thence throughthe expansion valve I0 to the evaporator coils 2I on the outside of thecold plates 23.

The operation of the device is conventional. The refrigerant circulatesthrough the compressor, the heat exchange coils 4 in the Vaporizerchamber, thence to the condenser vanes to the evaporator coils and backto the compressor. The surface of the cold plates or cold Walls is thusmaintained at a cooled temperature such that Water of condensation isdeposited upon these walls. This Water ows down to the oor of the boxand thence through the passage 3 to the closed vaporizing box I. Therethe cold water of condensation meets the hot gases on their way to thecondenser. The heat in those gases vaporizes the water in the heatexchange box I and that vapor returns through the passage 3 as watervapor to the cold chamber 2 where it is again condensed and returned tothe heat exchange. The result of this is a continuous return of thewater of condensation from the cold surfaces back to the atmosphere inthe box as water vapor. This accomplishes two purposes. It disposes ofthe water of condensation making it unnecessary to have any run off tocarry water of condensation from the refrigerator insulation but muchmore important than that it insures a continuous return of moist air tothe box so that the atmosphere in the box is kept in a continuouscondition of high moisture content as contrasted with the usualsituation in connection with electric refrigerators and the like wherethe vapor travel from the contents of the box and from the atmosphere inthe box tends to desiccate the water therein and the box contents.

I claim:

In a refrigerator, a box having walls to enclose a refrigerationsurface, means outside the walls for cooling at least two of the wallsand the top of the box to cause condensation of moisture on the wallsand top, a duct adapted to discharge the condensed water from thechamber, a receptacle adapted to receive the discharge Water, means forheating the Water therein and for returning it to the refrigerationchamber through the same duct where it enters whereby the Water returnsas vapor, being cooled by the condensate which travels through the samechannel in opposite directions.

WILLARD L. MORRISON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,090,413 Gould Aug. 17, 19372,167,442 Alsing July 25, 1939 2,209,431 Tull July 30, 1940

